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Quek Jia Qi is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and organiser. Her socially-engaged practice investigates how relational and transformative learning can emerge through experimental forms of storytelling. Working at the intersection of Art and Pedagogy, she works collaboratively to explore how modalities of exchange can bring individuals and communities together to foster greater civic engagement.
Previously based in London, and now in Singapore, she works in the ever-expanding field of social practice, having led and facilitated participatory workshops, site-specific installations, public programmes, and performances across the US, UK, Europe and Asia. Her work has been presented at the Singapore Archifest; Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore; CICA Museum, South Korea; Whiteconcepts Gallery, Berlin; Framer Framed, Amsterdam; Raven Row, London; The Yard Theatre, London; King’s College London; Goldsmiths, University of London; 5th Base Gallery, London; amongst others in the public streets of London, Singapore and New York City. She has also worked with Asia-Art-Activism research network, The Substation, and Serpentine Education & Projects, at Serpentine Galleries to facilitate and evaluate community-centred public programmes to define the role of arts in times of transition and social change. In 2017, Jia Qi was awarded the Social Art Award by The Institute for Art and Innovation e.V. She holds a BA (First-Class) Joint Honours in Fine Art & History of Art from Goldsmiths, University of London, UK, where she was mentored under Dr Janna Graham. Working widely with communities on experimental and interdisciplinary collaborations, she is passionate about redefining the accessibility narrative in the arts to unite diverse communities. She believe co-creation is the fertile ground where we can cultivate our ability to connect with one another, transcending diverse abilities, age, and backgrounds. Her recent works include Kuti Kuti?, intergenerational community art project that reimagines a game from the past into a life-sized soft sculpture playground. Can You Hear Me? a public interactive installation as part of the National Arts Council's "As You Were" public art initiative. A Picnic In Apart, a digital picnic that brings together individuals from across borders together during the pandemic to re-discover our relationship with food and remotely, Bind, a participatory archival project developed during her research residency at Asia-Art-Activism. Combining traditional bookbinding techniques with socially-engaged pedagogy, participants learn to bind stories of others and our own, tracing a diversity of personal trajectories surrounding stories of care, labour, maintenance and well-being; Field Trip to Redhill, a collaboration with DesignSingapore Associates and My Community to uncover the design of everyday life, heritage and stories through a mix of guided and spontaneous wanderings. She also led Myths On a Red Hill, in collaboration with architects Isabella Duffield and Randy Chan, to lead a public storytelling pavilion in Singapore and reimagine an open classroom in an urban farm, Sprout Hub, for creative modes of exchange. The pavilion grows as a living archive — collectively weaving narratives, knowledge, experiences and stories from different individuals and communities. As an Arts educator, she believes in teaching as curating learning cultures and spaces for transformation. In her pedagogical endeavours, she is committed to developing critical arts pedagogies for a socially-engaged education to build our capacity for care, curiosity and inclusion. In 2018, she organised the interdisciplinary symposium, Conversations in Singapore History '18 and And Everything in Between to activate new territories of reflection and social action. In 2017, she led Shifting Concretes, a workshop series as part of The Substation 2017 Discipline the City programme together with Karen Lam, which culminated in a public art intervention, "Can we 'Lepak' better at Orchard Road?" to reimagine and activate urban spaces in Singapore. With her love for children's literature, Jia Qi is also a published illustrator for The Little Things – a children’s book about kindness, narrated with characters of local food to inspire children in Asia to celebrate who they are; a community initiative in collaboration with Wu Jiezhen and Tampines Kindness Movement. The book has also been distributed and integrated into pre-schools curriculum in Singapore and National Library Board Singapore. Jia Qi has written, taught and given talks of various capacities. Some venues include: Goldsmiths, University of London, King’s College London, Royal College of Art, Raven Row London, Asia-Art-Activism, National Library Board Singapore, School Of The Arts, Singapore, Brooklyn Free School, Very Special Arts (VSA), Skillseed Sg, and Zarch Collaboratives. |
EDUCATION
Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK,
BA (First Class Hons) Fine Art and History of Art
School of Visual Arts and the Babson Social Innovation Lab, New York, USA
Design for Social Innovation
School of Visual Arts, New York, USA
City as Site: Performance and Social Interventions
BA (First Class Hons) Fine Art and History of Art
School of Visual Arts and the Babson Social Innovation Lab, New York, USA
Design for Social Innovation
School of Visual Arts, New York, USA
City as Site: Performance and Social Interventions
PUBLIC ART, PERFORMANCES & EXHIBITIONS
2023
Kuti Kuti? Playground
Radin Mas Community Club, as part of Singapore Art Week 2023 x PAssionArts x Arts in Your Neighbourhood,
supported by National Arts Council Singapore and People's Association.
2022
Tree of Curiosities
Formula 1 Grand Pix
As You Were
National Arts Council Public Art Initiative, Bishan-AMK Park, SG
Aedge Exhibition 2022
School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA) Art Gallery organised by Singapore Teachers' Academy for the aRts (STAR)
2020
A Picnic In Apart [Virtual]
AAA Till We Meet Again IRL Digital Programme, supported by Arts Council England & Bagri Foundation
Field Trip to Redhill (Archifest 2020 Edition) [Virtual]
collaborated with Design Singapore Associates, Myths on a Red Hill and City Sprouts
Field Trip to Redhill [Virtual]
collaborated with Design Singapore Associates, Myths on a Red Hill and MyCommunity
Kopi & Myths
Myths on a Red Hill, Singapore
2019
PARK(ing) Day 2019
Tan Quee Lan Street, Singapore
Goldsmiths BAFAHA Degree Show 2019
Goldsmiths, University of London, United Kingdom
Public Programmes: Power Walks
Serpentine Galleries, London, United Kingdom
Bind
MOKU Pacific HQ, Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Raven Row Open House
Asia-Art-Activism, Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Diaspora Disco
The Glove That Fits, London, United Kingdom
Bind
Asia-Art-Activism, Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
SEACurrents 2019
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Oceans*A*Part
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Diaspora Disco
The Yard Theatre, London, United Kingdom
2018
UnAuthorised Medium: Intense Visitations
FramerFramed, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dumplings & Dialogue
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
FLOW LIVE #1: Contract With the Skin
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
No Image - International Exhibition
CICA Museum, South Korea
Untitled (Goodnight Stranger)
AGORA, Berlin, Germany
Is This Seat Taken?
Outside Whitney Museum, New York, USA
Untitled (Grieving in New York City)
West 23rd Street, New York, USA
Shifting Intimacies
RAW, Singapore
TEDxCambridgeUniversity xHibits
Cambridge University, United Kingdom
Hit Me Baby, One More Time
London, United Kingdom
Conversations in Singapore History 2018
Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
No Naked Flames 2
Goldsmiths, University of London, United Kingdom
2017
Stir-fry: An exhibition
London, United Kingdom
And Everything In Between: Disciplines in Dialogues
London, United Kingdom
Social Art Award No.1
WHITECONCEPTS Gallery
Berlin, Germany
Shifting Concretes: Can We “Lepak” Better at Orchard Road?
Orchard Road, Singapore
Creative Debuts x The Black & White Building,
Black and White Building, Shoreditch
London, United Kingdom
2016
Seven Deadly SINs Exhibition
Capitol Piazza
Singapore, Singapore
A-OK Mindroll Art Exhibition
Goldsmiths', University of London
London, United Kingdom
SOUND & LANGUAGE EXHIBITION
Special Collections Archive, Goldsmiths Library
London, United Kingdom
A Journey Away From Urban Life
5th Base Gallery
London, United Kingdom
2015
Ministry of Education (MOE) Headquarters, Singapore
2014
Singapore Youth Festival Art Exhibition 2014
LASALLE College of the Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Art Singapore (ICAS) Galleries 1 & 2 and the Trispace
Singapore
2013
La Viva Art Exhibition
Goodman Arts Centre
Singapore
Kuti Kuti? Playground
Radin Mas Community Club, as part of Singapore Art Week 2023 x PAssionArts x Arts in Your Neighbourhood,
supported by National Arts Council Singapore and People's Association.
2022
Tree of Curiosities
Formula 1 Grand Pix
As You Were
National Arts Council Public Art Initiative, Bishan-AMK Park, SG
Aedge Exhibition 2022
School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA) Art Gallery organised by Singapore Teachers' Academy for the aRts (STAR)
2020
A Picnic In Apart [Virtual]
AAA Till We Meet Again IRL Digital Programme, supported by Arts Council England & Bagri Foundation
Field Trip to Redhill (Archifest 2020 Edition) [Virtual]
collaborated with Design Singapore Associates, Myths on a Red Hill and City Sprouts
Field Trip to Redhill [Virtual]
collaborated with Design Singapore Associates, Myths on a Red Hill and MyCommunity
Kopi & Myths
Myths on a Red Hill, Singapore
2019
PARK(ing) Day 2019
Tan Quee Lan Street, Singapore
Goldsmiths BAFAHA Degree Show 2019
Goldsmiths, University of London, United Kingdom
Public Programmes: Power Walks
Serpentine Galleries, London, United Kingdom
Bind
MOKU Pacific HQ, Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Raven Row Open House
Asia-Art-Activism, Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Diaspora Disco
The Glove That Fits, London, United Kingdom
Bind
Asia-Art-Activism, Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
SEACurrents 2019
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Oceans*A*Part
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
Diaspora Disco
The Yard Theatre, London, United Kingdom
2018
UnAuthorised Medium: Intense Visitations
FramerFramed, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dumplings & Dialogue
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
FLOW LIVE #1: Contract With the Skin
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
No Image - International Exhibition
CICA Museum, South Korea
Untitled (Goodnight Stranger)
AGORA, Berlin, Germany
Is This Seat Taken?
Outside Whitney Museum, New York, USA
Untitled (Grieving in New York City)
West 23rd Street, New York, USA
Shifting Intimacies
RAW, Singapore
TEDxCambridgeUniversity xHibits
Cambridge University, United Kingdom
Hit Me Baby, One More Time
London, United Kingdom
Conversations in Singapore History 2018
Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
No Naked Flames 2
Goldsmiths, University of London, United Kingdom
2017
Stir-fry: An exhibition
London, United Kingdom
And Everything In Between: Disciplines in Dialogues
London, United Kingdom
Social Art Award No.1
WHITECONCEPTS Gallery
Berlin, Germany
Shifting Concretes: Can We “Lepak” Better at Orchard Road?
Orchard Road, Singapore
Creative Debuts x The Black & White Building,
Black and White Building, Shoreditch
London, United Kingdom
2016
Seven Deadly SINs Exhibition
Capitol Piazza
Singapore, Singapore
A-OK Mindroll Art Exhibition
Goldsmiths', University of London
London, United Kingdom
SOUND & LANGUAGE EXHIBITION
Special Collections Archive, Goldsmiths Library
London, United Kingdom
A Journey Away From Urban Life
5th Base Gallery
London, United Kingdom
2015
Ministry of Education (MOE) Headquarters, Singapore
2014
Singapore Youth Festival Art Exhibition 2014
LASALLE College of the Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Art Singapore (ICAS) Galleries 1 & 2 and the Trispace
Singapore
2013
La Viva Art Exhibition
Goodman Arts Centre
Singapore
PUBLIC TALKS, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS
2022
Kuti Kuti? Maker Lab
Bukit Merah Community Club, as part of Singapore Art Week 2023 x PAssionArts x Arts in Your Neighbourhood, supported by National Arts Council Singapore and People's Association.
Mapping with Sounds
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, as part of National Arts Council "As You Were" Public Programmes 2022
Arts in Education Forum 2022,
School Of The Arts, supported by Temasek Foundation
2021
Roundtable: Structures of Care: Ways of Knowing, Being, Working
A New Season of Care, curated by Annie Jael Kwan, supported by National Arts Council Singapore
2020
Artist Talk Panel: Politics and Practices of Care
AAA Till We Meet Again IRL Digital Programme, supported by Arts Council England & Bagri Foundation
2019
Ground-up Initiatives: Artist Talk
AA Asia, Zarch Collaboratives, Singapore Archifest 2019, Singapore
AAA Sharing for MA Curating Contemporary Art, Royal College of Art
Asia-Art-Activism, London, United Kingdom
Artist Workshop for BA Curating, Goldsmiths' University of London
BA Curating, Goldsmiths' University of London, London, United Kingdom
Serpentine Education and Projects, Public Programmes: Power Walks
Serpentine Galleries, London, United Kingdom
AAA Sharing Session: Artist Talk
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
2018
Interdisciplinary Symposium, Conversations in Singapore History 2018
Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
Arts for Social Good
Creatives x Alternatives Programme '18, Skillseed Singapore
London, United Kingdom
2017
The Little Things Book Launch,
Tampines National Library, Singapore
Shifting Concretes,
Discipline The City 2017, The Substation, Singapore
Arts for Social Good
Creatives x Alternatives Programme '17, Skillseed Singapore
London, United Kingdom
2016
Higher Education and Careers Symposium '16
Dunman High School, Singapore
2015
Higher Education and Careers Symposium '15
Dunman High School, Singapore
Kuti Kuti? Maker Lab
Bukit Merah Community Club, as part of Singapore Art Week 2023 x PAssionArts x Arts in Your Neighbourhood, supported by National Arts Council Singapore and People's Association.
Mapping with Sounds
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, as part of National Arts Council "As You Were" Public Programmes 2022
Arts in Education Forum 2022,
School Of The Arts, supported by Temasek Foundation
2021
Roundtable: Structures of Care: Ways of Knowing, Being, Working
A New Season of Care, curated by Annie Jael Kwan, supported by National Arts Council Singapore
2020
Artist Talk Panel: Politics and Practices of Care
AAA Till We Meet Again IRL Digital Programme, supported by Arts Council England & Bagri Foundation
2019
Ground-up Initiatives: Artist Talk
AA Asia, Zarch Collaboratives, Singapore Archifest 2019, Singapore
AAA Sharing for MA Curating Contemporary Art, Royal College of Art
Asia-Art-Activism, London, United Kingdom
Artist Workshop for BA Curating, Goldsmiths' University of London
BA Curating, Goldsmiths' University of London, London, United Kingdom
Serpentine Education and Projects, Public Programmes: Power Walks
Serpentine Galleries, London, United Kingdom
AAA Sharing Session: Artist Talk
Raven Row, London, United Kingdom
2018
Interdisciplinary Symposium, Conversations in Singapore History 2018
Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
Arts for Social Good
Creatives x Alternatives Programme '18, Skillseed Singapore
London, United Kingdom
2017
The Little Things Book Launch,
Tampines National Library, Singapore
Shifting Concretes,
Discipline The City 2017, The Substation, Singapore
Arts for Social Good
Creatives x Alternatives Programme '17, Skillseed Singapore
London, United Kingdom
2016
Higher Education and Careers Symposium '16
Dunman High School, Singapore
2015
Higher Education and Careers Symposium '15
Dunman High School, Singapore
PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, EDUCATION AND CURATING
Serpentine Education and Projects, Public Programmes: Power Walks
Serpentine Galleries, London, United Kingdom
Co-organiser, Programme Curator and Speaker
Interdisciplinary Symposium, Conversations in Singapore History 2018
Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
Co-organiser
And Everything In Between
London, United Kingdom
Illustrator
The Little Things Book Launch,
in collaboration with Jiezhen Wu and Tampines Kindness Movement
Tampines National Library, Singapore
Lead Artist Facilitator
Public Workshop: Shifting Concretes
in collaboration with Karen Lam and The Substation Singapore
Discipline The City Programme Workshop Series,
The Substation Ltd
Singapore, Singapore
Teaching Assistant
Brooklyn Free School, New York, United States
Public Commission: Mural Doodle in JEM
Mural doodle with Band of Doodlers, White Space Bandits
Commissioned by Jurong East Mall
Singapore, Singapore
Co-Founder
Your Familiar Stranger
Teaching Assistant
Very Special Arts (VSA), Singapore, Singapore
Serpentine Galleries, London, United Kingdom
Co-organiser, Programme Curator and Speaker
Interdisciplinary Symposium, Conversations in Singapore History 2018
Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
Co-organiser
And Everything In Between
London, United Kingdom
Illustrator
The Little Things Book Launch,
in collaboration with Jiezhen Wu and Tampines Kindness Movement
Tampines National Library, Singapore
Lead Artist Facilitator
Public Workshop: Shifting Concretes
in collaboration with Karen Lam and The Substation Singapore
Discipline The City Programme Workshop Series,
The Substation Ltd
Singapore, Singapore
Teaching Assistant
Brooklyn Free School, New York, United States
Public Commission: Mural Doodle in JEM
Mural doodle with Band of Doodlers, White Space Bandits
Commissioned by Jurong East Mall
Singapore, Singapore
Co-Founder
Your Familiar Stranger
Teaching Assistant
Very Special Arts (VSA), Singapore, Singapore
ARTIST & RESEARCH RESIDENCIES
Asia-Art-Activism
Raven Row
London, UK
AFFECT Residency for Collaborative Artistic Practices
Agora Collective e.V.
Berlin, Germany
City as Site: Performance and Social Interventions
Summer Residency, School of Visual Arts,
New York, USA
Raven Row
London, UK
AFFECT Residency for Collaborative Artistic Practices
Agora Collective e.V.
Berlin, Germany
City as Site: Performance and Social Interventions
Summer Residency, School of Visual Arts,
New York, USA
WRITINGS / PUBLICATIONS
Lessons From Caring For House Plants During The Pandemic According To An Artist And Plant Mum
Female Magazine, Singapore
A Desire to Take Care: Lessons from caring for houseplants during the pandemic
Home & Decor, Singapore
A Desire to Care
BRACK, COVID Companions feature
Singapore
AAA Reflection: The Gift of Radicalising Domesticity
London, UK
Indigo Magazine #2: Cities
London, UK
Cross talk: a halfway point, a sidebar reflection
Collaboratively written text for 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
Sydney, Australia
The Little Things - A Book about Kindness
Children's Book
Singapore
The Social Art Award 2017 - Invigorating the Rise of Social Art
The Institute of Art and Innovation e.V.
Berlin, Germany
Female Magazine, Singapore
A Desire to Take Care: Lessons from caring for houseplants during the pandemic
Home & Decor, Singapore
A Desire to Care
BRACK, COVID Companions feature
Singapore
AAA Reflection: The Gift of Radicalising Domesticity
London, UK
Indigo Magazine #2: Cities
London, UK
Cross talk: a halfway point, a sidebar reflection
Collaboratively written text for 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
Sydney, Australia
The Little Things - A Book about Kindness
Children's Book
Singapore
The Social Art Award 2017 - Invigorating the Rise of Social Art
The Institute of Art and Innovation e.V.
Berlin, Germany
SELECT AWARDS
Social Art Award
The Institute for Art and Innovation e.V.,
Winning work to exhibit at WHITECONCEPTS Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Published in Award book: The Social Art Award 2017 – Invigorating the Rise of Social Art
The Gold Award
Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
3rd Runner-Up in Young Artists Category
Singapore Airlines Open House & Art Competition 2015, Singapore
Honourable Mention
Singapore Youth Festival Art Exhibition, Singapore
Most Photogenic Design Award
National Azimuth NDP Watch Design Competition
supported by DesignSingapore Council
Finalist
National Azimuth NDP Watch Design Competition
supported by DesignSingapore Council
3rd Prize
Singapore Youth Photographers Convention, Singapore
The Institute for Art and Innovation e.V.,
Winning work to exhibit at WHITECONCEPTS Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Published in Award book: The Social Art Award 2017 – Invigorating the Rise of Social Art
The Gold Award
Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
3rd Runner-Up in Young Artists Category
Singapore Airlines Open House & Art Competition 2015, Singapore
Honourable Mention
Singapore Youth Festival Art Exhibition, Singapore
Most Photogenic Design Award
National Azimuth NDP Watch Design Competition
supported by DesignSingapore Council
Finalist
National Azimuth NDP Watch Design Competition
supported by DesignSingapore Council
3rd Prize
Singapore Youth Photographers Convention, Singapore